Muscat – A national initiative is being implemented across six governorates to promote sign language, raise awareness of the rights of people with hearing impairments and improve their access to public and essential services.

The ‘Sign Communication’ initiative, organised by Al Tawasul Institute for Training in collaboration with the Nafith platform, coincides with the International Day of Sign Languages observed on September 23.

The initiative seeks to address communication barriers that can prevent people with hearing impairments from accessing services and participating fully in society. It focuses on increasing awareness of sign language among the wider community, particularly employees in government and service institutions.

The programme targets members of the public, government and service-sector employees, as well as people with hearing impairments. It includes introductory lectures on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law, alongside interactive activities and awareness programmes aimed at developing communication skills and promoting a better understanding of the needs of the hearing-impaired community.

The initiative is being implemented in six governorates – Dhofar, Dhahirah, Dakhliyah, North  Batinah and South  Sharqiyah, and will conclude in Muscat on September 23.

Halima bint Ali Al Khamisi, Director of the Sign Communication initiative, said the participating governorates were selected based on the population density of people with hearing impairments.

She said the programme is being implemented in cooperation with governorate offices to support decentralised services and promote social equity.

The initiative also aims to strengthen awareness of universal access and integrated local services to ensure service institutions are better prepared to meet the needs of people with hearing impairments.

Halima said the programme seeks to bridge communication gaps and promote direct understanding between people with hearing impairments and those who interact with them.

She added that improving communication would contribute to their greater integration into society, support independence and encourage wider knowledge of sign language among the public.

Aisha bint Mohammed Al Riyami, a sign language interpreter, said raising awareness of basic sign language among community members could significantly improve communication with people with hearing impairments.

She noted that better communication would help people understand their needs and emotions and strengthen their social, intellectual and cultural relationships.

Aisha also called on employees of service institutions to benefit from the initiative’s programmes and events, saying that learning basic sign language and appropriate communication methods would enable them to provide more accessible and inclusive services.

Saeed bin Mohammed Al Badai, Director General of the Communication Training Institute and a sign language instructor, highlighted the important role of families in supporting people with hearing impairments.

He said the shortage of people able to communicate with them through sign language remains a challenge, affecting their ability to access information, express their needs, understand their surroundings and participate actively in daily life.

“This highlights the importance of training people capable of conveying information and knowledge through sign language,” Al Badai said.

He said sign language is among the most widely used forms of communication by deaf people, enabling them to understand events, exchange information and maintain social connections.

Greater awareness and use of sign language, he added, can help remove communication barriers, boost self-confidence and enable people with hearing impairments to participate more fully and independently in society.